


The Midnight Show

by DesireeU



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, Yu-Gi-Oh! Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Circus, F/M, in which Desi attempts circus horror and probably fails
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-15
Packaged: 2019-05-07 09:26:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14668155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DesireeU/pseuds/DesireeU
Summary: Her childhood trauma couldn't stop her from investigating; quite the contrary.She never should have entered that circus tent, though.(originally for ZarcRay week, "Obsession" prompt)





	The Midnight Show

**Author's Note:**

> Circus AU (vaguely non-modern), TW for violent/gory themes.

Covered in eye-catching fliers and colorful streamers and decorations, the formerly quiet, boring town was a sight to behold. Kids rushed on the streets like a torrent, trying to get a glimpse of the wonder-filled trailer as the charming man leading it reminded everyone of the night’s show.

 

Everyone looked happy, excited; everyone at exception of Akaba Ray.

 

She eyed suspiciously the man and his circus trailer, even the flashy-clad kids parading around him to spoil what surprises awaited them at the show, -their smiles fake, their happiness forced, she was sure of it- and shuddered.

 

Her best friend Asuka placed a hand reassuringly on her shoulder: “You shouldn’t look at them if they make feel like this. Just stay at home today, pretend they never arrived; they’re going away this weekend anyways.”

 

Ray shook her head, eyes still locked on that arrogant smile and those golden, almost shining eyes, and squinted: “No, Asuka. I made a vow, and I must go through with it. I need to go, tonight.”

 

“Well, I’m coming with you anyways,” the blonde replied: “but don’t worry, I’m sure nothing will happen. I mean, how long has it been since the last accident in that neighboring town? Six years? Pretty sure those guys are way too young to be involved with it,” and she lightly chuckled, gesturing at the leading young man, more or less of their same age, and at the kids bouncing around, no older than maybe thirteen.

 

“ _Five_ years,” corrected Ray: “and they may just be the puppets of whoever is behind that.”  
“In any case, standing here won’t do you any good. Go home, get ready for tonight,” suggested the older woman, and Ray mindlessly nodded, forcing herself to tear away her gaze from the now disappearing trailer.

 

The two exchanged a last chat and their goodbyes, and then went their separate ways.

On the way back, Ray glanced at the people surrounding her, and her shoulders slumped in defeat.

Nobody was taking this seriously.

People forgot years-old rumors of places they didn’t know too easily, especially when faced with the prospect of breaking routine and having some mindless fun. But, then again, none of them had lost a beloved one to a circus, or were lucky victims themselves. The cared only when tragedy struck them personally.

 

Only in the safety and privacy of her home, she allowed memories of her personal tragedy to drown her in her own tears.

 

It had been fifteen years already. Fifteen years, and still she couldn’t piece everything together.

  
She faintly remembered the laughs, the panic, and couldn’t tell anymore from who the laughs came from, the people, or the circus folk. She had the vague, yet strong sensation she had seen something she shouldn’t have seen, that she had disobeyed her father and felt so guilty when he had to leave everything behind, just because she chose to not listen to him.

 

It was probably then that he had started paying more attention to her than his work, and she almost suffocated in the attentions. But she couldn’t blame him; he had almost lost her that night, and didn’t want to take anymore chances. And so, Ray never uttered a word against her sheltered life, helping her father with his work instead to repay the guilt.

 

They thought moving to another town, leaving everything behind, would also leave behind the horrors of that tragedy, put to sleep the trauma buried within her. But then, when she was 12, she heard the rumors: people disappearing from a nearby town right after a circus show.

 

 _Good-for-nothings that took their first chance to escape honest, hard-working life with those freaks,_ people would say, but when it happened again in yet another town five years later,  _five years ago_ , Ray couldn’t unsee the pattern.

 

She couldn’t unsee the memories trying to resurface, either.

 

Red, redder than her hair, everywhere; it covered the floor of her house - _was it her house even?_ \- , the walls, her clothes, fingers, face  _everything_ , it dripped and pooled and swallowed her whole, and she couldn’t run, couldn’t fight, shadows danced in cruel mockery of what she couldn’t remember as black rotting chains held her in place, forcing her to watch the hellish show while that sickeningly happy music kept playing and she felt powerless and screamed,  _screamed_ ** _screamed_  **…!

 

When she suddenly came back to her senses, tears and sweat still blurred her vision. Ray hesitantly looked around, afraid the familiar layout of her home could change again anytime.

 

The red light of the setting sun poured from the window behind her, casting the long, jagged shadows of bare trees, and the autumn breeze carried the faint circus music announcing the show was about start.

 

This couldn’t go on anymore. It had been years she tried getting clues, trying to get to the bottom of this tragedy, and do whatever was in her power to never let it repeat again.

 

It had been too long her life spun around this repressed nightmare, it was all she could think of. She was going to finally break those chains.

 

****

 

It wasn’t too long before Asuka knocked at her door, ready to accompany her to the show.

 

Ray was hesitant, checked thrice the dagger and gun under her gown, almost called quits; but she knew she may not have another chance at this, and with a deep breath she walked through the evening streets, swallowed by the eager crowd.

 

The first thing she noticed was just how many people were in line, entering the show’s tent: peasants and rich folk alike, in that moment there were no differences, just the thirst for entertainment.

 

When it came her and Asuka’s turn to enter, she marveled at just how much bigger the tent looked from the inside, and was surprised to feel an overwhelming sense of nostalgic, childish happiness, rather than the dread and living night terrors she expected.

 

Apparently her friend thought so too, because she held a tighter grip on Ray’s arm, leading her to their seats apprehensively. “You sure everything’s alright?”

“Astonishingly, yes,” replied Ray, albeit on edge -and now she didn’t know if it was for the circus itself, or because of how startlingly different than expected she was feeling.

 

When the light of the lanterns dimmed and the golden-eyed ringmaster appeared on stage at the sound of drum roll, she braced herself for a possible breakdown that never came.

Instead, she felt  _anticipation_.

 

“ _Ladieeees aaand gentlemen!_ ” started the ringmaster, lifting his arms to the cheering audience: “Welcome one and welcome all to the  _Supreme King’s Circus_! Tonight, for your entertainment, we have a spectacular array of acts performed by our amazing crew!”

 

Ray couldn’t shake off the feeling of deja vù.

But it was impossible, she reasoned. That young man would have been a child just like her that one, damned time she had set foot inside that hell of a circus. Maybe from a different circus show, during one of her fruitless investigations?

 

Still, she was drawn to his shining eyes, so entranced she completely missed the rest of his introductory speech. The crowd cheered and applauded, and as the ringmaster disappeared she finally regained a hold of herself.

 

The opening act was a parade of sorts, led by one of the young teens she had seen prancing around the trailer that afternoon. He had spiky blue and blonde hair, piercing teal eyes, and a disarming smile. He effortlessly rode a beautiful, black and white stallion, and occasionally pulled off various stunts while saluting the crowd.

 

Other kids soon followed, two purple-haired boys and a green-haired girl, each on a differently colored horse  _-pure white, pure black, and a pinkish light brown respectively-_ , and the first boy upped his game, standing on his galloping horse upside down on lithe arms.

Ray actually got worried when he opted to stand on just on arm - _he was just so thin-looking_ \- but the boy continued his various acrobatics, never once losing his hold or smile.

 

The blue haired boy then sort of paired up with the only girl, riding side to side in an almost tender display, their horses almost dancing around each other and gently rearing, then swirling and resuming their little choreography.

 

The purple-haired boys in the meantime jousted in the background, when suddenly the back curtains flared open and another boy - _with a head of hair Ray could just describe as a tomato_ \- ran comically inbetween them riding a pink hippo of all things. He was dressed in exotic wear, but definitely looked the clown of the lot with his attitude and the bit of red paint on his nose.

 

The fighting boys feigned surprise and panic, fleeing in annoyance backstage, while the girl theatrically jumped in the arms of her blue-haired companion to avoid being ran over by the charging hippo, her own horse whinning and running away.

 

Then, as the couple disappeared as well, another young girl with pink hair was gently lowered from the dark top of the tent, sitting on a swing with seemingly no bounds of safety.

The girl started singing, and the next act was a musical comedy set in the exotic middle east. While the main character was the tomato boy, more characters appeared (mostly the previously seen kids), most notably a “princess” with blue hair who with the help of the clown managed to escape her prison and finally taste freedom.

 

The story introduced various other animals other than the pink hippo, and after a misadventure featuring the clown and a black lion the musical turned into a beast-taming showing, the tamer being the former rebel princess.

 

She readily commanded the beasts to do her bidding, almost as if they were house pets, firmly but respectfully, talking to them as if they could understand. Then the clown and three riding boys re-appeared on stage, casually talking and strolling by, and the animals tried to attack them. The beast tamer struggled to keep them calm, but when the former rider of the white horse unsheathed his sword to point it at them, she lost her cool and gave an inhuman roar.

 

The crowd was amazed at her manicured nails seemingly growing into claws, at her hair fluffing up until ears grew from them and a long, furry tail swishing from under her skirt. Ray herself wondered which trick they used to have such a realistic effect.

 

The beast-girl threatened to charge with her animal companions, when the singing narrator jumped down from her swing, landing without a sweat, and started a dance with the beast-girl, all the while singing. The girl’s animal features softened and disappeared, and the calmed down animals even started dancing with them.

 

The pink haired singer took out some flower sticks, and marching towards the back curtains led the beast tamer and her animals backstage. She closed the curtains with a curtsy to the crowd, wiping off her nonexistent forehead’s sweat exaggeratedly, then swirled and threw her flower sticks to start her own act.

 

The young tomato clown happily joined her in the juggling performance, adding some comedy scenes here and there, when former white horse rider walked up to his side, snickered, and substituted a ball with a dagger. The clown and the girl in pink panicked, but kept on the show while the other boy smiled and ushered them off stage.

 

The lights dimmed even more, and the back curtains opened to reveal a girl with long, dark hair who hadn’t yet appeared. She was blindfolded and bound to a wheel carried to the stage by the green-haired girl, and the purple haired boy elegantly bowed before starting a dangerous game of dagger-throwing at the bound girl. Occasionally, his green-haired “assistant” would spin the wheel to rile the crowd up with the danger factor upped, but thankfully the boy was very skilled and avoided the girl’s body with surgical precision.

 

Then, that didn’t apparently satisfy him, and he decided to throw the next dagger blindfolded.

Before he could, though, the other purple-haired boy, the darker one, charged him and the two started a stage combat session. The crowd aaah’ed and oooh’ed at the increasingly acrobatic moves, while the assistant girl released the bound one, just as trapezes and a tightrope came into view.

 

The girls started their sky-high acrobatics as the boys continued their bickering off-stage. The green-haired girl had her climax riding a unicycle on the tightrope, then curtsied and retreated on a swing taking her up in the unseen darkness to leave the spotlight to her dark-haired companion.

 

The lone girl entranced the crowd with her elegant, dangerous moves, adding even a bit of contortionism to the already hazardous acrobatics. Then, she faked a fall and two small, parachute-like clothes akin to beautiful purple wings opened, and she gently landed in the arms of the dark purple boy, who had seemingly won his fight off-stage in the meantime.

 

The whole cast, four boys and four girls in total, came into view to take their applause, bowing happily to the enthusiastic crowd. The ringmaster came too, and as he bid his goodbyes and goodnights Ray almost forgot why was she there in the first place.

 

“See? Nothing crazy about them, aside from being crazy talented for being so young,” commented Asuka with a smile on her face, still applauding as she ushered her friend outside.

 

Ray absent-mindedly nodded, while becoming acutely aware of her surroundings all of a sudden. She tried keeping an eye on every single person inside the tent to make sure they made it out safely, but alas, it was near impossible. She didn’t see the performers leaving the stage yet, but who knew if they had more people hidden in the shadows, ready to kidnap a poor, unsuspecting soul?

 

Finally, Asuka dragged her out as the tent was almost empty.

 

Ray stood unsteady on her feet, unsure on what to do. She barely grazed her gown where her gun was, to make sure it was still there, and she tried to make it to the backstage, to see if they were possibly hiding anything,  _anyone,_ dangerous.

 

Emphasis on  _tried_ , because her very concerned friend dragged her back, not feeling satisfied until Ray was ushered back home.

 

“I can sleep here tonight, if you want; Ryou can handle little Kaito on his own for a night, I’m sure,” she offered, but the redhead shook her head.

“Thank you, but I’m fine, I promise. Unlike your son, I’m not a baby anymore, I can hold my own,” Ray joked. Asuka noticed her humorless tone and worried eyes, but nodded. Ray could be as stubborn as a mule, and if she wanted to stay alone Asuka couldn’t force herself on her even if she wanted to.

“Very well then. But if you need anything, you know, I’m just four doors down the road,”

 

The two friends shared a hug, and a goodnight wish later Ray was finally alone.

 

Carelessly heading for her bed, she mostly felt disappointed, confused, and even angry at herself. She was hoping in a sort of sudden epiphany, or at least some clues to end this 5-year cycle once and for all; even if she couldn’t remember her own trauma, it would have been more than enough avoiding others to feel the same.

 

But no, all she got was a sense of deja vù, and, though she didn’t want to admit it, an entertaining night. At least, she hadn’t felt happy during the show, no. Just amused.

That sort of comforted her and terrified at the same time.

 

Because a strong sense of amusement-led curiosity was what came before the screams, during her nightmares.

 

****

 

Two days later, a Friday, the circus put on its second show, and Ray was determined to make progress.

 

This time she went without Asuka - _she would have worried and think she was obsessed, she was sure_ -, but the evening was quite uneventful. The show was much like the one of two days prior; sure, they switched around the order of the acts, sung a different story, had different scenes and choreographies, but they displayed more or less the same roster of skills.

 

This wasn’t to say they were any less awe-inducing, though. Ray hated to admit it, but those kids were surely skilled. No, not only that, but in they way they moved and spoke, they all a certain natural charm that shone through despite the different attitudes. Ringmaster included.

 

She met his eyes as he gave his “end of show” speech, and he winked at her with a handsome smile. She felt her cheeks heat up.

 

Ok,  _especially_ the ringmaster.

 

But this wasn’t stopping her from her original mission. Afterall, weren’t psychopaths often the most charming of people? She had to keep her guard up.

 

And so, after the show ended and everyone was safely heading back home, Ray snuck behind the tent, in the fenced off section where there were probably the trailers and animals’ cages, all safe by prying eyes thanks to some makeshift wooden walls.

 

The young woman was expecting the “backstage” to be a bit more difficult to access, more guarded perhaps, but she slipped in surprisingly easy.

From her previous investigations in other circuses, the sight she was met with looked perfectly normal.  _Silly girl, what did you expect? Of course if they have something, it’s gonna be hidden somewhere,_ she mentally reprimanded herself.

She was about to peek into a trailer, when a hand touched her shoulder, causing Ray to shriek.

 

“Miss, miss, calm down!” pleaded the boy, and thankfully Ray recognized him as the show’s main rider before she could take out her dagger.

“Ooh, who do we have here? An uninvited guest?” chuckled darkly the ringmaster as he came out from the shadows.

Ray felt suddenly threatened and vulnerable at the coldness in his eyes, but he immediately melted into a warm smile.

 

“But, if it’s such a charming lady, she can come in uninvited anytime,” the young man added with a friendly smile, extending his hand politely: “The name’s Zarc.”

Ray shook his hand hesitantly: “U-uhm, Akaba Ray…”

 

“Ray! Such a fitting name for a pretty little sunshine as yourself~” he complimented, not even leaving her the time to blush - _or roll her eyes_ -: “As much as I am delighted to see you here though, I must question why. You don’t seem like a particularly dedicated fan now, are you? If I recall, I’ve failed to see you smile even once in both times you came see our show!”

 

He looked back at his artists who had silently grouped behind them, mocking sadness and offence: “Right guys? To think she came see us  _both_ times, and we didn’t manage to make her smile  _once_! That’s outrageous!” and, looking again at Ray (with an almost cute pout, if it weren’t for the quite eerie predicament) while grasping both of her hands together: “Did we do anything wrong?”

 

“I, uhm, it’s not that…” Ray looked frantically everywhere, searching for an escape route: “...I was just...I mean,  _personal matters_ , my apologies...and I didn’t want to intrude, but the gate was open and curiosity got the best of me and...”

 

One of the purple-haired boys, the one in lighter clothing and with the funny brows, snorted: “Go figure. It was Yugo’s duty to check the gate.”

The rider-boy next to her - _Yugo she presumed_ -, flared up: “Oi, it’s not my fault! I had to set up my horse first for the night!”

“When the ringmaster gives you an order, you  _execute_ it,” chimed in the beast-taming girl, hands on her hips in a reprimanding way.

 

“Guys, guys, it’s ok!” waved them off the ringmaster, smiling at Ray: “We both got something out of this, right? Miss Ray can satisfy her curiosity, and we can bring a smile more to this sad town!”

The young woman blinked in confusion: “What do you mean?”

Zarc smiled at her: “That we can give you a backstage tour, and make it up for the smiles we couldn’t give you during the show, too!”

 

Ray bit her lip.

Getting to snoop around was tempting, but they could certainly hide or avoid anything suspicious. And who knows, they looked a bunch of innocent kids, but if it was like she suspected and the real mastermind behind the disappearances was indeed hiding here, using them as their puppets...who knew what they could do with her?

 

Before she could give a proper reply, Zarc clapped his hands and gestured at the kids: “But first things first, introductions!”

 

Yugo ran to the others, and they quickly got themselves in an orderly line.

“Ladies first, it’s my honour to introduce you to Yuzu, Serena, Rin and Ruri!”

The singer, beast tamer, rider-assistant and acrobat respectively smiled at Ray, waving their hands.

“And then these scoundrels are Yuya, Yuri, Yugo and Yuto!”

“These  _what_?”

“Ugh, don’t put me together with these incompetents,”

“ _Yuri..!_ ”

 

Ray chuckled at their bickering and recognized them in order as the clown, dagger-thrower, rider and stage fighter. Now that she could take a better look at them, their faces were all strikingly similar. Even the ringmaster himself looked a lot like the younger boys.

And the girls...Ray instinctively reached for her own face.

 

“This is a family thing, then…?” she hesitantly asked, and all of them nodded.

“You could say so,” replied Zarc, shrugging: “twins are troublesome, though, lemme tell ya,”

Yugo snickered and Yuya raised his eyes to the sky, but smiled.

 

Ray was going to inquire more about their family,  _do you run this all by yourselves? Are you the_ ** _only_  ** _adult?_ but Zarc bowed down, giving her hand a perfect kiss.

 

“Now, weren’t we talking about a tour~?”

 

The young woman couldn’t help but follow.

 

She thought she should have been more wary, but as minutes turned to hours she found herself more at ease than ever. More than that, she felt a child again, careless and having fun. It was like she had known Zarc and the kids all along, being with them just felt natural.

 

It wasn’t like she had anything to point against them, either; Zarc really meant the tour to be thorough, and the circus group showed her every cage, trailer and equipment they had. She even felt bad when they showed her the cannon they planned to use for the weekend’s final show and they looked kinda sad to have spoilt the surprise.

 

It was only when she waved goodnight to her new friends with a smile and was halfway towards home that the night’s events, and all of its dread, fully sank in, and that night she was plagued by nightmares.

 

_God, what had she done? Why couldn’t she help but feel that way with them?_

 

Zarc was still looking in the direction she had disappeared, long after she had gone. The night was close to its end and his confident smile was replaced by a frown.

 

He would have never imagined to see her again, and by the heavens,  _had she grown_. She was just like he remembered her. He wondered if her memories were still blocked, and if the girls said the truth when they assured him their presence was enough to make her feel safe.

 

It had to be the truth. She would have never beared a second even just near a circus, or his presence, otherwise. Or, she would leap right in his arms.

 

_God, what had he done? Why couldn’t he help but keep this curse alive?_

 

****

The weekend came too quickly for Ray’s tastes.

 

It was kind of a relief, because both on the previous day and until that afternoon Zarc and the kids had tried to hang out with her, and it just felt...awkward.

She did feel a strange pull towards them, a sense of familiarity, but unlike Friday night she was dead set on letting her rational side prevail.

 

So yes, she was grateful that after that evening’s show they would move on to another town, but at the same she didn’t feel ready to see them go. A part of her was convinced there was something else she had to do, to know.

 

The Supreme King’s Circus final show was similar to the previous spectacles, but greater.

From the flashier, more intricate costumes to the stranger equipment (like the cannon she spoiled herself about and  _boy_ , was it a sight witnessing Yugo as a human cannonball), and they even interacted with the audience, letting them join as volunteers for certain performances.

 

However, Ray couldn’t help but notice that, throughout the show, the kids that weren’t performing would go amongst the spectators and talk to them, either far or whispered enough that the woman never managed to catch what they were talking about.

Maybe it was a little routine of theirs, talk a bit with the fans; if that was the case, though, why were they almost avoiding her? Weren’t they way too eager to spend time with her just a couple hours prior?

 

Her speculation ended when Ruri went to talk to a couple next to her, not bothering to whisper.

“...yes, we have one more secret show before we leave tomorrow. The midnight show, it’s very exclusive and with limited places...it’s a wonder unlike our regular show, thought out for the people like you!”

They exchanged more hushed information, and once done Ruri winked knowingly at Ray.

 

_The midnight show?_

Something echoed in her locked mind, and she didn’t like it one bit.

 

She  _had_ to go.

 

Going by its name, Ray supposed this show was going to start at midnight, but turns out it was probably just for the sake of the name’s effect, as midnight came and went, and nothing happened.

 

Finally, as she was starting to doze off behind a tree, a few people started appearing from the outskirts of town, heading for the circus’ tent. The young woman waited some more, unsure of how many people had been invited as they trickled by, and silently snuck in the tent only after a good fifteen minutes of nobody else showing up.

 

Outside, everything was eerily silent. Inside, she was surprised by the music blaring and the cheers of the crowd, so much she felt disoriented for a second.

 

Then the music felt way too familiar, and Ray almost collapsed on the floor screaming; the only thing freezing her into place, was what was happening on-stage.

 

Ruri was going through one of her acrobatic choreographies, but there was something very off. The costume looked old and torn, just plain grotesque, matching her messy hair and way too pale skin. Heavy dark rings made her eyes look even bigger, and her exaggerated smile just looked out of place. But what really disturbed Ray, was one of Ruri’s arms, twisted beyond possible at an unnatural angle. Ruri though seemed to be performing effortlessly as usual, even if managing her acrobatics with just one arm, and the other probably in severe pain.

 

Ray was going to run on stage, when the young acrobat screamed in pain, a saw-wheel suddenly entering stage and grazing her thigh.

Frozen in shock, fear, and her own memories flooding out, Ray couldn’t help but watch as the saw impossibly rotated around the girl, forcing her to a harder, faster, deadly dangerous pace through the various swings and trapezes, occasionally spilling some of her blood.

 

At last, Ruri couldn’t hold on anymore.

The saw scraped her hand and she let her only hold, crashing to the ground. She caught the safety net, but her previously sane arm was now bent past recognition just as the other one.

 

“Guys, I’d appreciate a hand here…” she weakly called out, and Ray was surprised she even managed to talk at all. Yuri appeared on stage, elegantly bowing.

 

“My my, what an ungracious fall was that,” he commented, kneeling to examine the damage on his companion: “but don’t you worry, Yuri is here to help.”

With a wicked smile, he turned to the audience: “Anyone willing to give sweet Ruri a hand or two?”

He then lifted Ruri’s arm to show it properly off, her wounds more clear and real than ever, and a woman in the crowd screamed.

 

Yuri scoffed: “Looks like there’s someone not suited for our little special show. Bet she’s been invited by Yugo,” and he gestured at the accused boy off stage: “but you’ll be nice and escort her out, will you, Yugo? Take her home, make sure she remembers this as a nightmare, the usual,”

“I don’t need you to tell me,” grumbled Yugo, his pride wounded, as he helped the shrieking lady on her feet and brought her out.

 

Ray was going to follow them, try to talk with Yugo - _he always looked so happy, so pure_ \- but her attention snapped back to Yuri.

 

“ _Show must go on!_ ” he enthusiastically continued: “If nobody wants to help Ruri, then we’ll have to ask one of our brave assistants! Yuto, please, come over,”

Yuto rushed on stage, caressing Ruri’s long hair with worry.

 

“You’d do anything for our,  _your_ , sweet Ruri, wouldn’t you?” purred Yuri, a malicious glint in his eyes.

The other boy readily nodded, extending his arm: “Of course I would,”

 

As Yuri went to grab the saw usually used by Yuya in his box-sawing performance, Ray knew what to expect, but still couldn’t tear her eyes from the show. It all felt so frighteningly familiar, that a part of her really,  _really_ wanted to see this through -to go to the bottom of this madness once and for all. And she hated herself for it, as Yuri sawed off both of Yuto’s arms without as much as flinching.

 

Yuto sharply took in air, but otherwise kept quiet, just as Rin gingerly hopped on stage. She put heart-shaped patches on Yuto’s stumps and kissed his forehead, as in mockery, and then proceeded to accurately stitch on Ruri’s new limbs after Yuri took care of the old ones.

 

Much to everyone’s surprise, Ruri grimaced but successfully flexed her new fingers, holding them up for the audience to see. Then her spotlight was once again hers, as a round trapeze, beautifully decorated with black roses and lapis lazuli, descended.

 

“And now, ladies and gentlemen, my swan song,” she announced with a bow, before taking a hold of the trapeze and being lifted impossibly high, towards the top of the tent. There she performed even more breathtakingly than usual, almost as if flying.

Then, she comfortably sat on the trapeze, giving the crowd a small bow and maniacal smile.

 

And her body fell backwards, plunging to the ground.

 

Ray suffocated a scream, horrified as Ruri’s skull cracked open, covering the stage in black feathers and petals, blood and the little glint of broken lapis lazuli.

 

And the audience fucking  _applauded_.

 

As the applause faded, so did the light on Ruri, focusing now on Zarc, and Yuri who had gotten back on stage.

 

“Thank you, thank you!” boomed the ringmaster, all smiles: “That was an extraordinary performance indeed! Please give another round of applause for our Lyrical Luscinia, Ruri!”

 

“Now, for your further enjoyment, please warmly welcome our next act, one of bravery, skill, and malicious fortune!” Zarc curtsied his way out, and Yuri’s usual wheel of death appeared, this time with Yuzu bound to it.

 

Yuri started his performance as usual, but increasingly threw his daggers near the poor girl, until he actually pierced her side. Yuzu gave a whimper, as blood and a variety of petals poured from her fresh wound.

 

Most horrifyingly, the crowd egged the boy on, shouting where to aim, what to pierce.

 

By the time Yuri was done, Yuzu was a blooming massacre, spewing diverse flowers instead of her insides in a beautifully grotesque display, and the inside of the tent was choking in the unholy combination of scent of flowers and smell of rotting citruses.

 

This time, Ray actually vomited.

 

She barely had the time to get back on her feet, that she witnessed Yuri’s next performance, the ingestion of an apparently poisoned sword. It looked like a regular sword-swallowing show, until the young boy started gurgling and his abdomen began melting away, spilling thorns, flowers, and a purple, poison-looking blood.

 

Yuri tried to reach for the wound, holding the beautiful, rotting flowers close to it, getting tangled in his own thorns. He fell on his knees, and Ray fell too, emptying what little was left in her stomach.

 

Yuya cheerfully hopped on stage: “Whoops, guess that’s why his stage name is ‘ _Starving Venom_ ’~!” he joked, roughly ripping the sword from the withering boy’s throat.

 

“Now, since Yuri is unable to finish his act, I’m pretty sure he won’t mind if I do it in his stead!” smiled the clown, taking the remaining daggers. Meanwhile, Serena quietly unbound the unmoving body of Yuzu, gently taking her maimed figure in her arms princess style and carrying her backstage.

 

“For this act’s finale, we actually need two volunteers!” continued Yuya, analyzing the crowd. Ray made herself as small as possible, trying to go unnoticed as she hid behind the entrance’s curtains.

 

“Yes, you two will be perfect!”

 

Hearing the shuffling of people getting on stage, Ray dared to peek back in. She recognized the couple invited by Ruri, as Serena dutifully bound the man to the wheel of death.

“Have something you always wanted to tell your husband?” whispered Yuya to the woman, audibly enough for everyone to hear, and he placed the first dagger in her hands: “This works better if pour your heart out with each dagger,”

 

The woman looked hesitant at first, then threw the dagger, barely missing the man’s arm.

“I know you cheated on me!” she whimpered while throwing, and the man shrug as much as he could in his binds, replying matter-of-factly: “Not my fault if you’re such a good for nothing, you can’t even hit a bound target,”

 

That seemingly broke something in the woman, as she started throwing dagger after dagger with increasing fury, her voice raising with them.

“I am the good for the nothing? You can’t even hold a job!”

“My mother had always been right!”

“I should have left you long ago, before getting stuck with your kid!”

“You’re a filthy excuse of a human being!”

 

Ray helplessly looked around, but all she saw was the audience cheering, obsessively fixed on the verbal and physical assault.

 

“I wished so many times you could get in an accident before coming home to have your fun with me!”

“Do you beat up also your lovers, huh?”

“And then you have the guts to take me out with you as if everything’s normal!”

“Liar!”

“Bastard!!”

“Patheti---”

 

**_“ENOUGH!”_ **

 

Ray’s scream echoed in the tent, and she took that moment of general stupor to jump on the stage and kick the daggers out of the woman’s grip.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?! I’m gonna---!” she was reaching for her gun, but Zarc sneaked behind her and took a hold of her wrists before she could aim the weapon at Yuya.

 

From apparently nowhere, all of the cast, even those supposedly fatally wounded, appeared on stage. They quickly surrounded the now panicked crowd, and utterly _massacrated_ them.

 

“Look at them well,” whispered Zarc, dangerously close to her ear: “they’re dying for you,  _my dearest,_ ”

“W-what are you even talking about? This nonsense…!” she barely stuttered, and Zarc sealed her lips with a kiss.

 

At the same time, the seal of her memories broke.

 

And they were more than she expected.

 

Her childhood trauma came first. She remembered going to see the Supreme King’s Circus and being amazed by it, so much she felt like she belonged there; then overhearing about the “Midnight Show” much like she had that night, and sneaking out of home way past her bedtime, eager to see which other wonders the familiar-looking ringmaster had in store.

 

She remembered the shock, the blood, the screams, so much she couldn’t bring herself to even cry, and a worried Zarc rushing to her, realizing she had snuck in, wondering aloud how that could have happened.

 

He yelled at the boys behind him they had to control their bloodlust, they had to make things more secure, and some strange, faceless beings appeared, stating that would have been their job, if only they could attain some power from  _a pure soul_.

 

Zarc yelling didn’t stop, he insisted she was his, and they couldn’t touch her; that he would bring her with him now that he had finally found her, and they couldn’t separate them again. The faceless beings loomed over him.

They stated the child,  _she_ , was way too young still. That it was better to erase this accident and let her grow carefree, while they kept in check  _the demons_.

 

That it would have been a sin, to taint her so early, when he had given his soul to save her.

 

The four beings closed in on young Ray, and she felt her consciousness slip, away, just as four faces identical to hers smiled at her.

 

And in that unconsciousness, memories that didn’t belong to her found their way to her head. Because how could have she been the one in Zarc’s arms? The one so infinitely happy and in love, swirling in the air as she laughed with him during their performance,  _their show_?

 

How could she have been the the one looking at him in horror and betrayal as she slipped, seeing nothing but blood?

 

“Do you remember, now?” quietly asked Zarc, and Ray realized she was in his arms now, barely on her own, shaking legs.

 

“It was our fifth anniversary, and we wanted to put on a special show. But our performances were never enough, those greedy bastards always asked more, and more  _and more_ …” a look of deep pain and regret glossed over Zarc’s eyes: “and I, like the fool I am, gave it to them, as much greedy of their smiles and approval, blinded by the conviction, _the arrogance_ , that we were the best performers of all time,”

 

His eyes got darker, his grip on her tighter.

 

“But I couldn’t,  _wouldn’t_ , let you go like that. I made a contract that day: my revenge and your rebirth, in exchange of my soul and the souls of all the sinners I could find. And now I’ve finally found you,” her caressed her hair tenderly, but Ray couldn’t help but notice the disturbing look in his eyes.

 

The blood-covered kids circled them, smiling.

 

**_“...and I’ll never let you go.”_ **

**Author's Note:**

> Oh. My. God.
> 
> Wasn't really expecting this to get -this- long, I was aiming to have all oneshots more or less of the same lenght, but DANG. Initially this even had a "date" scene between Zarc and Ray, the day before the final show, but I decided to cut it out as I felt it didn't fit with the flow of the story (it was mostly fluff/comedy, the only thing I miss from it is the inner struggle of Ray, as she can't bear to be attracted to a "circus freak"). I know this way this oneshot it's barely shippy, but I hope the implications at the end and the possibilities from it can make up for it. I also hope it fits with the given prompt, there are three kind of obsessions in this, but I felt like I haven't explored them as well as I could have.
> 
> This is also the first time I attempt writing something darker; I adore, breathe and live horror material, but when it comes to actually producing it I just can't. Sucks to be a fluffy, childish kind of person. Plus I went to an actual circus like, once in my life, so I probably am getting lots of things inaccurate. xD
> 
> Little note since I feel like the end was rushed/confusing (it was kinda meant to be, to mirror Ray's own confusion, but I know it's not that good to read): Ray and Zarc used to be a performing couple, and as Zarc explained, on their fifth anniversary she died and he sold his sould to get her back and take revenge. He made a pact with demons (the bracelet girls) who gave him other demons (the Yu boys) to help him gather souls of the sinners (the people attending the Midnight Show). The bracelet girls, previously faceless beings, took part of Ray's soul in order to gain more power (this is how they got a face identical to Ray, and why Ray feels secure with them). I may actually just go and edit the story to make it more easily understandable, but sadly right now I'm too busy TvT
> 
> Ah, well. Hope you still enjoyed this! Thanks for reading! ♥


End file.
